Adjustable awning support



Dec. 5, 1967 D. c. SANTO ADJUSTABLE AWNING SUPPORT Filed May 10, 1966 o 1% w C E m M #f O B United States Patent v 3,356,329 ADJUSTABLE AWNING SUPPORT Dominic C. Santo, 1440 NW. 64th Way, West Hollywood, Fla. 33024 Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 549,017 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-273) This invention relates in general to awnings and more particularly to manually adjustable supports for pivoted window awnings for manually positioning same into a predetermined number of shade positions or closed over a window for storm protection.

Prior adjustable supports for awnings in many circumstances required the use of tools and further, the quick adjustable detent plunger type require two persons to simultaneously operate the plungers at opposite sides of the awnings when the supports are separated a distance out of reach for operation by one person.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a telescopic awning support which may be manually locked in a predetermined number of selected shade positions by a spring plunger means including means for manually securing the plunger in an unlocked position, thus enabling one person to sequentially operate a pair of supports at each opposite end of an awning regardless of the width of same, which construction is a principal object of the invention.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the appended specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a typical pivoted rigid awning locked in a selected shade position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken through section line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 33, FIG. 1, showing elements in locked position.

FIG. 4 is the same as FIG. 3 showing the elements shown in FIG. 3 in unlocked position.

FIG. 5 illustrates the awning shown in FIG. 1 in closed position.

The awning assembly 1, of which only one side view is shown in FIG. 1, is pivoted for movement about a horizontal axis on well known bracket means 2 secured above the window to be shaded or covered. The awning brace or support assembly to be hereinafter described is shown on one side of the awning only since the support on the opposite side is identical to that shown.

A tubular metal support arm 3 is pivoted on a bolt 4 in clevis 5 with the latter secured to the wall by well known means close to the path of movement of the side of the awning, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tubular metal socket member 6 has a longitudinal bore therethrough for slidably retaining the arm 3 in telescopic relation. The member 6 has an integral longitudinal rib 7 along one side thereof for reinforcing purposes and providing for the insertion of a threaded lock bushing or housing 8 in the upper end portion thereof. The lower end of member 6 is pivotally retained to the side of awning 1 by a bolt 9 retained in the awning by a pair of nuts 10 and 11 with suitable washers the-rebetween. A circular ornamental disc 12 is formed to substantially cover the pivotal junction of the member 6 and the open end thereof, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a plurality of spaced cavities or holes 13, as shown, are provided in the side of arm 3, for adjustment purposes, to be hereinafter described. The bushing 8 secured in rib 7 has a coaxial bore 14 therein opening to the inner end thereof and a coaxial smaller bore 15 in the outer end thereof for retaining a 3,356,329 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 look plunger 16 which includes an integral flange 17, which plunger terminates with the inner end 18 thereof pointed or shaped substantially spherical, as shown.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a knurled knob 19 is riveted on the shouldered outer end of plunger 16 for manually retracting and rotating the latter. A compression spring 20 is positioned under tension in bore 14 against the flange 17 and a shoulder 21 at the outer end of the bore 14 for normally urging the plunger 16 into locked position, as shown in FIG. 3.

A lock pin 22 is shoulder riveted off-center in the disc 19 with the axis thereof parallel the axis of the plunger, as shown. A groove or recess 23 parallel with the axis of the plunger of bushing 8 is positioned to slidably receive pin 22 when the plunger 16 is in its inner locked position, as shown in FIG. 3.

It is now apparent that when the knob 19 is pulled outward, as illustrated by arrow in FIG. 2, against the restraining action of spring 20 and rotated into the position shown in FIG. 4, and released, the pin 22 will engage the outer surface of bushing 8 and prevent the spring from urging the plunger inward into lock position.

It is thus apparent that to adjust the awning to a predetermined shade or closed position, each plunger 16 in opposite sides of the awning are first withdrawn and locked into the idle position shown in FIG. 4. Then the awning may be moved to a desired position about its pivotal support in bracket means 2 and then one of the knobs 19 rotated to permit the inner end 18 of its plunger 16 to enter one of the selected holes 13. sequentially, the knob 19 in the opposite side of the awning will be operated in the same manner to release its plunger into a corresponding hole 13. It is now apparent that one person can quickly and positively position the awning in each of several shade positions or lock the awning in closed position over a window, as shown in FIG. 5.

It is apparent that in certain particular applications, the support assembly may be anchored above the awning rather than below the pivotal brackets 2, as shown.

It is understood that certain modifications in the above construction, utilizing the features described, are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An adjustable support means for an awning pivotally secured to a wall along the inner end thereof for vertical movement about a horizontal axis comprising an awning, a straight cylindrical support member pivotally secured to said wall a predetermined distance below said axis for vertical movement adjacent one side of said awning,

a plurality of cavities in predetermined spaced relation along one side of said support member,

an elongated socket means pivotally secured at the outer end portion thereof to the said one side of said awning in planar relation with said member for movement about an axis parallel said horizontal axis,

said socket means having an axial bore therein for slidably retaining said support member in telescopic relation,

a plunger housing in the opposite end portion of said socket means having a bore therein normal to and opening into the said axial bore,

a plunger slidably retained in said bore for rotation and axial reciprocation from a locked position with the inner end thereof in engagement with any selected one of said cavities to a withdrawn idle position for movement in a path above said cavities,

spring means biased between said housing and said plunger for urging the latter into said locked position,

said plunger having a knob secured on its outer end for the manual retraction and rotation thereof,

one of said cavities to a withdrawn idle position for movement in a path above said cavities,

spring means biased between said housing and said plunger for urging the latter into said locked posirotated by said knob in register therewith for per- 5 tion,

mitting said plunger to engage'a selected cavity and said plunger having a knob means secured on its outer locking said awning in a vertical position correspondend for the manual rotation and retraction thereof, ing to each of said cavities whereby the awning may a lock-release means cooperatively related to said be manually -T8-POSltiOlfl6d in a predetermined shading knob means and said housing respectively for perposition or closed when said plunger is withdrawn 1O mitting said plunger to move inward and engage any by said knob and rotated to move said projection out of register wi h said recess and against said housing for holding said plunger in said idle position.

selected one of said cavities when said knob means is turned to a predetermined, lock position and for holding said plunger in said idle position when withdrawn and rotated a predetermined angle from said lock position.

3. The construction recited in claim 2 wherein said lock release means comprises a recess in said housing in predetermined spaced relation and parallel the axis of said lock bore,

2. An adjustable support for an awning secured to a wall by horizontalpivot means along the inner end thereof comprising an awning a straight cylindrical support member pivotally secured to said wall for vertical movement about a horizontal axis and positioned adjacent one side of said awning,

a predetermined plurality of spaced cavities in a straight a projection extending from the under side of said knob row along one side of said support member, means positioned for registration with said recess an elongated socket means pivotally secured at the when rotated in register therewith by said knob outer end portion thereof to the said side of said means forcpermitting the inward movement of said awning for movement about an axis parallel the said plunger for engaging the latter with any selected one horizontal axis, of said cavities and for holding said plunger from said socket means having a longitudinal bore therein engaging said cavities when withdrawn and said profor slidably retaining said support member in tele- -jection manually rotated out of register with said rescopic relation, cess by said knob means. said socket means having a radial lock bore in the outer end portion thereof opening into said longitudinal References Cited bore and positionable in radial alignmentwith said UNITED STATES PATENTS cavities, a plunger housing secured in radial alignment to said 1421182 6/1922 Dlckuison 77 2,189,525 2/1940 Tretfersen 248-273 XR socket means over said lock bore, 2 339 344 1/1944 Markle 248 273 XR a plunger srldably retained in said housing for rotation 30 2594605 4/1952 Zopp 1t 211123 and reciprocation from a locked position with the inner end thereof in engagement with. any selected JOHN PETO, Primary Exammer. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT MEANS FOR AN AWNING PIVOTALLY SECURED TO A WALL ALONG THE INNER END THEREOF FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS COMPRISING AN AWNING, A STRAIGHT CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID WALL A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BELOW SAID AXIS FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID AWNING, A PLURALITY OF CAVITIES IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATION ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, AND ELONGATED SOCKET MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURED AT THE OUTER END PORTION THEREOF TO SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID AWNING IN PLANAR RELATION WITH SAID MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL SAID HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID SOCKET MEANS HAVING AN AXIAL BORE THEREIN FOR SILDABLY RETAINING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN TELESCOPIC RELATION, A PLUNGER HOUSING IN THE OPPOSITE END PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEANS HAVING A BORE THEREIN NORMAL TO AND OPENING INTO THE SAID AXIAL BORE, A PLUNGER SLIDABLY RETAINED IN SAID BORE FOR ROTATION AND AXIAL RECIPROCATION FROM A LOCKED POSITION WITH THE INNER END THEREOF IN ENGAGEMENT WITH ANY SELECTED ONE OF SAID CAVITIES TO A WITHDRAWN IDLE POSITION FOR MOVEMENT IN A PATH ABOVE SAID CAVITIES, SPRING MEANS BIASED BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID PLUNGER FOR URGING THE LATTER INTO SAID LOCKED POSITION, SAID PLUNGER HAVING A KNOB SECURED ON ITS OUTER END FOR THE MANUAL RETRACTION AND ROTATION THEREOF, 